Thursday, April 12, 2007

Singaporeans' INABILITY to understand the need to pay our ministers million dollar salaries is worrying. While some say that ministers must be pa$$ionate about their jobs and have a sense of dedication expected of top leaders, we cannot equate the demand for the HIGHEST salaries in the world for politicians to GREED. It is the FAULT of ordinary Singaporeans that the PAP has lost moral authority over this issue because they cannot get pass their small mindedness - just because you are paid an average $3000 a month doesn't mean that a few million dollars is alot of money to our ministers. Please understand that the Singapore has changed, our income gap is now the highest among developed Asian countries. With such a big income gap, you naturally don't expect our ministers to live on just 500 times the income of the bottom 20%....it has to be 2000 times or 3000 times.."....current pay practices for CEOs are irrational and excessive" - Warren Buffett, 2007 Lletter.."It's interesting that when someone gets a $2 million bonus, they're wonderfully happy, until they find out the next person got $2.1 million" - Warren Buffett.

Which gapwill destroy us?.The income gap has risen sharply in Singapore. The PAP seems unconcerned saying that this is all part of "globalisation" something they have chosen to embrace enthusiastically. The PAP has never said that the income gap which causes society to become divided will destroy us..... but if there is a gap between PAP ministers and top earners, it will cause the crumbling and collapse of Singapore. That 30% of the populace that saw decline in their standard of living and income for 1 decade is not a big problem that needs to be addressed immediately but if you continue to pay the PAP minister less, Singapore will collapse. Understand?

Critical for Singaporeans to UNDERSTANDMany Singaporeans just simply can't get past the fact that paying our ministers the HIGHEST salaries in the world is simply a REASONABLE thing to do. To help you understand the LOGIC and overcome your irrational emotions, the Straits Times has assembled pages and pages of LOGIC to help you. But if don't have the time, let me help you with a summary:

1. Our system and circumstance is different from other countries. While they can have mediocre govt, we must have the best otherwise we will crumble and collapse. The PAP is the best.

2. Define best people? Other countries consider passionate people who see public service as a duty and go through democratic elections, open debates to get elected, the Singapore system is somewhat different. The best people are whom the PAP says are the best people or more specifically whom MM Lee says are the best people. These best people are a little reluctant because some of them were surgeons, others were lawyers or top military personnel who were making tons of money. They are invited to tea sessions with the MM & PM, asked difficult questions, and if it is determined they no element of "Chee Soon Juan type" personality, won't cause any problems and sound competent and intelligent, they are asked to join the PAP. People stepping forward is a big no-no. If they do, they cause trouble like Andrew Kuan, some effort has to be expended to eliminate them.

3. Because these people are 'invited' to join the PAP, they have to make sure that his concerns are addressed - loss of income, abusive citizens, losing elections etc. That is why "punch MP get maximum 7 years jail", $16K MP allowance and elections for upgrading.

4. Why can't we just employ our leaders? If you examine our system, we might as well just employ our leaders instead of conducting elections. Singapore Inc should be like any other corporation - recruit & pay the top people well give them the perks and the rest of the citizens work as employees in Singapore Inc. Well there are a few problems with that we need to go through the trouble of changing our pledge and constitutions. So they have to do this wayang thingy once every 5 years to avoid changing the laws. ...plus it will be a bit embarassing if we don't have elections because we are still called Republic of Singapore.

I urge our leaders to take the pay hikes. While our ordinary citizens who are merely employees in Singapore Inc can whine and whine about the pay hikes, they are powerless to do anything so why fear them? It is only right that Singapore Inc pay the highest salaries to our top managers (ministers). Straits Time can help most of the ordinary citizens understand the need for pay hikes. It is afterall the practical thing to do because recruitment of good people is difficult. We don't want do gooders stepping forward who will incessantly worry about the poor and ordinary folks instead of focussing on how to increase GDP and profits of companies. These naive idealistic people who think Singapore is better off with greater freedom, justice and equality can join the Workers Party or SDP and can be separately fixed by our corporate security services - they too are hired under good salary schemes to do their job.

20 comments:

Anonymous
said...

goodnews today. i have discovered the secret to the formation of great leadership and it is in the diet. before you can build comradeship and esprit de corporatization in your elected team of power players, the system must provide a high performance diet of white snake meat to its populace . this will ensure that the process will churn out a team of power players with remarkable credentials that will find vegetarian meals bland and repulsive. so any contrarian shall be defeated if challenged to form their own team because, they will be hard pressed to find anyone who believes and would want to feed on a lean diet anymore.

however, please be sufficiently warned that this may result in an entire race of ape-like-behaviour aka planet of the apes.

a. Do you know how difficult it is to give a million dollar raise to yourself.

b. Why assume that everyone is equal? In a meritocracy people who have succeeded have done so because of their hard work and talent. If you did not make it at least don't be a sore loser.

c. Look at NKF. See what happened when they did not pay Durai enough (someone mentioned peanuts) he became corrupt. Do you want that to happen with the PM's post too?

d. Democracy is not the best form of government (please refer the Finn's letter today). If John Stuart Mill says that, it is right. How can we take peoples views on things. Otherwise everyone will claim to be an expert.

e. What more do you want? You have clean roads, MRT, buses, houses, a vibrant night life, bar top dancing. I mean how greedy can you get. Now you want the leaders to make financial sacrifices.

f. Why do you waste the PM's time? Of late his work has become difficult. First opposition is standing for elections. Then he has to now explain why a salary hike is needed. Next, he might even have to waste time explaining that he is competent. Can't you just take his word for it?

Lucky, you said a very important word in your post..Managers. Managers are what Singapore needs, not leaders. There's only room for 1 or 2 leaders only.

Thats what all these Ministers are - managers. No character, no personality, no charisma. All these attributes are not important to a PAP member - they just have to be smart and part of the Elite side of society.

Dont any of you Singaporeans worry - we wont get former actors joining the Govt, such as those seen in the US, or former porn stars like in Italy. we only get the best, and thus we pay the best.

As the PM said, dont worry, everyone will see the results of the high salaries in 4 years time - when everyone is threatened by the upgrading issue again.

Those not happy with this raise, they can leave Singapore. You all will be replaced by other foreign talents who appreciate Singapore more than its own citizens.

Guess what? Just realised that Suharto, Lee and Marcos all share the same fate : filthy filthy rich. Wonder if they will share the same ending? PM Pay, SM pay, MM pay, GIC pay, Temasek Holdings pay, pensions with pay..... Wowee and all that money rolling in - legally, above board, cos they had the brains to make it legally. CAN YOU BEAT THAT??!! Is this what you call daylight robbery, and you feel powerless about it?

Again, the PM has to come out to say that he's not taking his for 5 years to show he's got class, he's moral. No shit!

Again, the PM must wayang, cracking his voice, almost shedding tears to line his own pocket and that of his balls carriers.

Again, the PM must say that S'poreans who wish to lead are $$$ face. Money is the only motivation for them to be of service to their nation.

Again, "It's not for me, it's to attract the next PM and mercenary ministers. It's not for me. I'm doing it for you, Singaporeans. Be forever grateful for this Dream Team and other Dream Teams I'll recruit!"

Same shit during the last obscene pay hike. Different singer, same song!

It's a crying shame that PAP has lost its compass and has to resort to money to attract talented leaders. What happens to inspiration, service to nation and plain old wanting to help? What happens to our PLEDGE? Democratic society based on justice and equality?

If I lose my wealth, I lose nothing.

If I lose my health, I lose something.

If I lose my INTEGRITY, I lose EVERYTHING!

MM, PM, SM, mercenary ministers and all in parliament who did not voice against the pay hike have all LOST IT!!!

It's sinful of you to make poor Singaporeans pay 2% more of GST to line your pockets!!!

$8,493 a day in salary. Holy shit, you can't bring it with you when you croak, can you? And how many generations do you intend to feed? Drink liquid diamond and eat gold?

I'm just so sick and tired of being a sick and tired Singaporean taking all this crap from arrogant, out of touch, leaders who do not know who they lead.

The only joy I have is to see dear Sylvia Lim at page 2 of http://www.channelnewsasia.com/parliament/videoarchives.htm making all the mercenary ministers & MPs uncomfortable with her heartfelt, sensitive down to earth speech.

In the video, the body language & expressions of the mercenary ministers is simply PRICELESS!

It is a pity that Singaporeans don't do anything proactive about their dissatisfaction about this raise in the CEO's salary. It is also a pity that anti-strike laws of Singapore protect the CEOs and profits and not the employees. Personally, if my managers and CEOs in the company gave themselves million dollar raises but cut the benefits packages and all, I would go on strike and stop working.

But then again, Singapore Inc. is smart enough to safe guard against this sort of thing, just like putting 80% of the population into subsidized HDB housing and then using that as a sort of 'carrot to the horse' come election time. If all of Singaporeans decided to stop work (no work=no money to the economy=low GDP or other forms of products going or coming to Singapore=no justification for CEO pay raise and bonus) then it really wouldn't cause enough damage to the Singaporean corporation since 50% of the jobs are given to foreigner talent, and if I am guessing correctly, probably all the higher more substantially important ones might be as well.

So the PAP is a wise and great CEO protecting its own self interests. Looks like they have dug themselves in deeper than a tick on a golden retrievers back. Sorry Singapore Inc. employees, you have been screwed. Might as well make like a good employee and just smile and work til death. After all, doing anything else would be against corporate policy.

Most people do not understand in 'globalization' that the pay rise and millions are necessary because just in case these people need to flee the red dot one day. It is sufficient for their many generations to live on comfortably in another place. This is perhaps part of the escape plans. Have millions will settle in any place you like. It is just like changing job. There is no exception for the CEO, president and chairman though. In fact, many retired managers from this Red Dot Inc have already emigrted and live elsewhere with the pension given by the people.

The gahmen spoke of raising GST 2% to help their Sink the Poorean.. but the truth is to raise their pays...That's why my son say ERP stand " EVERYDAY ROB THE PEOPLE" But we are still getting the CTE's traffic jams everyday! Is LTA doing nothing! YES pay more for going home early!! 4 sittings car pool work, but NO REVENUE, so it's scrapped.Long hair serves last, stop at 2, fringe car park etc etc all these PAP's mistake.Yet they are so smart they have parallel imports from China's primary one and grows up to be S'pore to solve our population problem.If these foriegners win a gold medal,they become 1/4 millionaire, with our moneys,all our ten cents stamps POSB money saving forced by Gahmen since school days goes to them, just for face value...than if we do not have $500 balance we get $2.00 fine, they even treat foreigners with durians to stay in our HDB flats, while I waited for 6 yrs to get my mine!! So how to love our country when the Gahmen are bashing their owe kinds and covering up all those they employed who lost our moneys investing wrongly like the recent Thaksin's case, Suzhou investment, Indonesia Suharto's collapse and so many mistake by these going to get increments Civil service's top gun. Increment for them, so that they will continue to support LHL's reign...Our Minister are commercialised, as their Ministries outsourced their jobs and pay cheaper foriegn talents to save their operation cost.We SinkaPoorean have to pay all the daily needs with Tax for our Nation while Johorean bike over with $4.00 fee and earn double pays to take home. Temasek Holding reports to Finance Minister, and he reports to himself been the PM,it's his wife report to him and he to himself than to his father..Finally we all got to be Sinkapoorean to all the mistake spent by them, for we must foot out the bills for their MISTAKES!!! Pah Si Bo Chow..WHo say so!!

New Tropical Insect Found in Sickapore IslandScientific iCommunity Forum 2007

DESCRIPTION

PAPESE, a very tiny and irritating type of parasite that stays on human skin and survives by sucking blood. Very difficult to remove surgically, and very expensive for patients to sustain their lives on specially formulated prescription drugs.

Variants of papese are papese-PM, papese-MM, papese-MP, papese-GRC, papese-CJ, and more yet to be discovered. Currently, 1 papese-PM, 2 papese-MM and many papese-MP types of parasite have been found, but no known pesticides, insect repellents or chemical agents are available to date to exterminate these parasites.

BACKGROUND

Researchers said papeses might have already been existed in the island state for over 40 years, but the damage and effect that these papeses brought on patients was recently reported as accelerated. Symptoms that the patients experience include: anxiety, self-destruction (such as jumping into a MRT track) depression, acts of violence, hunger, use of illegal drugs/narcotics to numb one's brain from reality, etc.

One unique feature that these papeses possess is the ability to use their in-built homing device to attract more foreigners to the island state so as to ensure uninterrupted people supply (UPS) of human's blood. Foreign embassies in the island nation have already issue emergency notices to their respective citizens (now working as "Foreign Talents" on the island) to watch out for those papeses.

Responding to the findings from the scientific community, the island’s Prime Minister, Minister Mentors, Members of the Parliament and GRC reacted to the now-renowned papese parasite by launching an island-wide search for the cure, but to no avail. Interesting to note that, no one single papese was found on these ruling elites of the island state during their weekly medical check-ups. Strangely, as quoted by a local media, that the 19 year-old college girl Pwee Ashu Pmin, daughter of a MP PWee Asiew Pkim, also does not carry the said parasite after a close and thorough inspection on her body.

ANNUAL BUDGET

In April-2007, the next strategy came up by the elite ruling party was decided that the best way to ensure the survival of those ailing patients was to pay for more expensive medication to sustain the activity of those papeses on the patients. This approach is highly logical: If the papeses are removed or attempted to remove them, the patients MIGHT die!

Children of the island state are told it’s going to be an on-going effort against papese parasites, and be prepared to pay when they grow up. The elite ruling party (or the Garmen) promises it would help in the process.

Meanwhile, the Garmen also launches IPO in NXSE and NOSDAQ through its GISick subsidiaries, raising $ to support this operation.

Donations always welcome.

POSSIBLE USAGE ON PAPESE

Though most other types of insect can be used as fertilizer additives for improving farmlands, this particular type of parasite, the PAPESE, is unfortunately low in its population by nature, and transforming papese into productive agricultural fertilizer becomes infeasible, and not very cost effective also.

Meanwhile, the scientific community continues the time-consuming search for other possible usage on papeses.